Is '1st-9, 9th-2, 2nd-tier' right, I'm already curious about the end of K League 1...Every game is thin, and there's a 'three-point war' to be fought

Is '1st-9, 9th-2, 2nd-tier' right, I'm already curious about the end of K League 1...Every game is thin, and there's a 'three-point war' to be fought

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Ulsan HD, the favorite to win the K-League 1 title for the fourth consecutive time, is showing signs of stretching. After three consecutive wins, the team ended up with no wins (two draws and two losses) in four consecutive matches, but has had two wins and one loss in the recent three matches. The team has also advanced to the second place with 17 points.

However, there is an optical illusion. Ulsan played first by advancing two matches due to its participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in the U.S. in June. The number of matches played in Ulsan has one or two more than other teams. Ulsan had 11 matches, including the leading Daejeon Hana Citizen with 20 points, Gwangju FC (16 points), which moved to Saudi Arabia for the quarterfinals of the Asian Champions League Elite, and FC Anyang FC with 12 points and Daegu FC with seven points. Other teams have played nine matches. This is why the current ranking table does not mean much.

While Gwangju plays the 10th round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2025 as early as Sunday, five other matches will take place this weekend. There are rankings that are rare to see in recent years. The boundaries between the top and bottom teams have disappeared. Some analysts say that the team is a "strongest-9, medium-2, weak" but even these are vague. It is true that Daejeon is one step ahead, but the gap is not big. Ulsan has only six points difference between the 10th-ranked Jeju SK with 11 points.

Jeonbuk Hyundai (15 points), Gimcheon Sangmu (14 points), FC Seoul and Gangwon FC (13 points or more), and Pohang Steelers (12 points) are also in the "box." Daegu and Suwon FC (7 points) have single-digit points, but if they win consecutive games, they can jump to the mid-range immediately. Some say they are curious about the end of this season. However, the league is a long-term team. Ilhee and Ilhee are cumbersome. Only teams that are faithful to the present and move forward without wavering can produce bright fruits.

A bitter clash is also waiting for the upcoming round. Daejeon, which is the first team to secure 20 points, will invite Gangwon, which aims at its third consecutive win, to its home turf at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. It has a sweet first position as the league leader since its foundation. With Joo Min-kyu (seven goals) as the team restarted scoring, the team is unrivaled in its performance. It boasts the largest number of goals scored (17 goals) among the 12 teams. It managed to secure its first consecutive win in this season by snatching "big fish" Ulsan in the last round. The team also ended its 16-game losing streak in away matches in Ulsan. The two teams had draws in all three matches last season. The challenge for Daejeon is to show off poor performance at home (1 win, 1 draw and 2 losses) compared to away matches (five wins, 1 draw and 2 losses).

Suwon FC, which seeks to escape from last place, will face Jeonbuk, which is currently playing well, at Suwon Stadium at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Jeonbuk has been continuously undefeated (three wins and two draws) in the past five consecutive games, with Compagno and Jeon Jin-woo, both of whom have scored five goals. The competition to lead the team is in sight. Suwon FC, which has only one win this season, has no place to retreat.

Attention is also focusing on the meeting between Pohang and Seoul. The two teams will have a showdown at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Pohang Steelyard. The topic is a reversal. Pohang and Seoul were undefeated in six matches (three wins and three draws) and seven matches (three wins and four draws), respectively, in the last round. It is uncertain whether Lingard, the "captain" of the U.K., will maintain his normal condition after visiting the U.K. to testify in court for his grandfather, who is on trial for sexual crimes against children. Stabilizing the defense line is an urgent priority for Pohang. Attention is also focusing on a strategic showdown between Kim Ki-dong, a well-known Seoul coach, and Park Tae-ha, a "one-club man" at Pohang. Last season, the team had one win, two draws and one loss, showing keen interest in the team's superiority and inferiority.

The match between Gimcheon and Ulsan is also interesting. The whistle blows at Gimcheon Sports Complex at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Gimcheon faced its first crisis of the season after losing for two consecutive games. Ulsan is agonizing over its lackluster offensive capability. Ulsan coach Kim Pan-gon's words, "It should explode once," contain all his concerns. Ulsan, which has a large number of matches, has six points in every game. Gimcheon does not have a single win (three draws and four losses) in its match against Ulsan. Lee Dong-kyung, the "solver," must throw a dagger toward his old team to escape from losing consecutive games. 안전놀이터

Anyang, which has repeatedly lost to Ulsan 0-1 during the week, will face Jeju at 4:30 p.m. on the 26th at Anyang Sports Complex.